Throwing Hands: Prince Harry Claims William Got Physical After Argument About Meghan Markle

Prince Harry‘s upcoming autobiography Spare hasn’t hit the bookshelves just yet. Still, an excerpt released to the U.K. newspaper The Guardian on January 4 gave a glimpse into his stained relationship with his brother William and The Royal Family.

The issues stemmed from the negative treatment Prince Harry’s wife and former actress, Meghan Markle, has received from the British press since the couple announced they were dating in 2016. For years, the U.K. media racially targeted Markle, who is mixed, and published stories to make the Suits star look bad. The negative coverage ultimately caused Prince Harry and Meghan to leave England and step down as Duke and Duchess of Sussex. 

In Prince Harry’s book, the father of two claimed that in 2019 things came to a head when his brother William, the Prince of Wales, got physical with him following an argument about Meghan. The Guardian reported that the altercation began after William described Meghan as “difficult,” “rude,” and “abrasive” in the couple’s then-home, Nottingham Cottage, in London while discussing the pair’s relationship and their “struggles with the press.” 

The publication also stated that before the brothers’ conversation became heated, Prince Harry tried to reason with his brother by offering him a glass of water, which William drank.

The excerpt read, “He set down the water, called me another name, then came at me. It all happened so fast. So very fast. He grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and he knocked me to the floor. I landed on the dog’s bowl, which cracked under my back, the pieces cutting into me. I lay there for a moment, dazed, then got to my feet and told him to get out.”

The Guardian article shared that William encouraged Prince Harry to hit him back during the scuffle, which he refused. Immediately after Prince Harry turned down William’s offer to participate in a sparring match, he apologized for his actions. William also suggested that Prince Harry not tell Meghan about what went down. Meghan eventually discovered what happened after seeing the bruises on his back.

Prince Harry claimed in the excerpt that Meghan wasn’t “surprised” by the attack but was saddened that it took place.

Spare is scheduled to be released on January 10.